spending budget for 5...

[GoofieRuthie]

I have just over 3 weeks until our trip to WDW. I am starting to stress about the spending budget. The hotel and tix are all paid for and I have $1500 put back for the trip. Do you think this will be enough??? We will be stopping over in GA for $69 on the way down, then again on the way back (not sure of where yet). There are five us (DH, DD10, DD8, DD2, and I). We have a Windstar minivan that costs $30-35 to fill right now.I have PS's for the Ice Cream Social, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and The Biergarten. I have had a Gastric Bypass, so I won't be eating much at all. I plan to share with one of the family members or order kids meals. Anyone else had a good time on this amount or less???? I may be able to come up with a couple 100 more before we go, but I'm still stressing out. HELP PLEASE!

 

[DisneyBrat]

How many days will you be staying in Orlando?

 

[GoofieRuthie]

We will be there for 6 nights. Arriving April 20 and leaving the 26th.

 

[DisneyBrat]

I figured for us to eat fast food in the park we will spend $40. I read on the boards to order a combo and then a hamburger with no fries to share the fries from the combo. Animal Kingdom has a meal voucher that is 5.99 for kids and 11.99 for adults. This not only includes your meal and drink but also a drink and snack later. Not sure where you are driving from we are going to be driving from Va and figured it will be 150 for gas. (750 miles one way) I heard a good tip on the board take an alloted amount you have to spend for the day put it in a bank envelope and if you have extra transfer it to the next day's envelope... YOU CAN DO THIS on 1500 and have fun I heard also the ice cream social wasn't too pleasant... The characters wouldn't come around on a timely manner and that they will bring you ice cream to share (ex. 4 at a table with 3 bowls) Do some checking before you commit to it Good Luck

Lew

 

[duck_adoo]

One suggestion...fill up your gas tank in one of the last exits in Georgia! The price per gallon is signigicantly higher in Florida!
Duck

 

[Magic2000]

We're a family of five also (2 teen DD and a 7 yr old DD). I think you'll be fine with $1500. We average approx $40 - $50 for counter service; depending of course on what we order and if we're sharing, etc. We average about $100 for sit down service (especially on any buffets where its $20 per "adult" and $10 per child).

We usually bring breakfast items from home (breakfast bars, poptarts, rice krispie treats - my 15 yr old eats these as her breakfast; and when you're on vacation, its OK). This saves time and money! We do usually do one breakfast out - Tonga Toast at Polynesian is a family favorite!!! We bring some snack items from home too, for the late afternoon munchies!

For souvenirs, each DD brings their own money and can spend it however they want.

What I usually do is get several small envelopes and put my hotel money in one, ticket money in another. Then for however much money I plan to spend for food, etc., I divide by the number of days we'll be there. And I put that money in an envelope for each day. (i.e.: if we'll be there for 5 days and I have $1000 to spend for food, souvenirs, etc; I put $200 in each envelope). That way, I know I'm staying on "budget". What ever is left over in today's envelope, I put in the next day's.

Good luck and have fun!!!!

 

[Snow Brite]

You can spend the money you would normally spend on groceries at home at WDW on food. So if you usually spend $500 on groceries at home, then you can spend that at WDW on "Groceries". Also, since you are driving, just bring some of the stuff you have in your cupboards with you. Peanut butter and jam, crackers, breakfast cereal, etc. that is already there. No need to buy it when you get there, just to buy it when you get there.

But $1500 should be fine for a basic trip. Not eating a sit down meal twice a day with lobster trip. But a breakfast in the room, hotdog for lunch, and food court for dinner trip with a few special meals.

Have a great time!

Jennifer

 

[zurgswife]

I think you will be fine...I just arranged a trip 3/2-3/8 for a Widower friend of mine and here was his budget....

Airfare 5 $665
Park Tickets $1150
Hotel $ 600
airport Shuttle 95
food $600
Character meal $80
Souveniors $200
Park snacks $100
total $3490

the came in only $100 over budget....It was 1 adult and 4 kids 12 to 6.....so, if you have $1500 for driving and eating I think you will be just fine...

 

[GoofieRuthie]

You all have really helped easy the stress. I do plan to take quick breakfast items and snacks. Already got a box of 30 small cereals and 2 cases of Sams Club water. Thank you for the tip on the gas fillup too. We will be stopping over night in Valdosta GA, so maybe we will be needing gas around that time. We had the van serviced yesterday and we had to dip into some of the extra money I was hoping to add to the trip money, but I think we will still manage just fine. Thanks again everyone. Can't wait to be there!!!

 

[tar heel]

I don't think you have a problem. We're also a family of 5, two of our kids are "adults" and our per day budget at Disney is $200. And we have a sit-down meal virtually every day. We don't buy a lot of souvenirs, though, so that isn't a big budget item. Here's a few other tips besides not buying gas in FL:

Keep a cooler in the car with water, juice, milk, soft drinks -- whatever you want to drink on the road. You can replentish the ice at your hotel. Then keep the cooler in your room at Disney and refill with ice each day.

Buy plenty of snacks (not just healthy -- things that are treats, too) for the car and for your resort.

You probably already do this, but if you don't: Make it a rule that no one buys drinks or snacks at convenience stores. Very expensive and you don't need them when you pack plenty of stuff.

Buy the milk for your morning cereal at a grocery store on your way in (keep it in your cooler) or in the resort store, not food court where it costs lots more.

When your eating counter service meals, order a couple large drinks and ask for extra cups. You also can get an extra cup and divide it between two children at some of the Icee-type stands.

Also, split counter service meals among children, you, etc.

Set limits in advance on souvenir shopping, snacks, etc. There's something around every corner, so it helps to already have a plan.

Since you have had a gastric by pass, I think I would avoid all-you-can eat places b/c you will be charged the full adult fee. At regular restaurants you should be able to order an appetizer or share with one of the children.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says................You will have money to start your next trip! If you include every dollar to get down and back, and the food along the way, and the hotel stops, you should still be ok. Then look at the "home" budget where you spend 0 on food for eight days, minimal utilities, no gas. Probably around $175-$200 you won't be spending because you are gone.

 

[blessedby3]

We are also a family of 5 leaving in a few days. (Me, my DH, DD13, DS7, and DD4) We have budgeted $100 per day for food and wont even use all of that. We will be eating breakfeast in the room and packing plenty of snacks in the backpack as well as water for each. We are not going to eat 2 meals in the parks. We are choosing to snack and eat an early dinner (between 3:30-4:00) and if the kids want something else to snack on have it back in the room. We are also sharing meals since the 13 yr old eats like a bird and the 4 yr old doesnt eat much either. Our 7 yr old on the other hand can eat.
I have bought a coupon holder at the dollar tree and have tagged each section with something different. Ex: food money, gas money, souviner money, and each of the kids has a different compartment to hold their money and not get it confused. The money left over from food for the day is not going to get put in the next days food, but in another compartment marked leftover food money. That way we will hopefully come home with more money than if we just put it in the next days food budget. We really want to stick to our $100 per day and not spend anymore and actually have money left. We are also not doing any character meals except for the dessert to save money. I also got those little post it tabs and put one on each $100 bill or $100 travelers check so that we will not get them confused(I put dates on each ex: Thurs April 4).
Also- water with all meals unless the kids meal comes with a soda. This saves TONS of money. The kids get soda at home so having to drink water with meals out isnt so bad. We have also gotten on Debs site www.wdwig.com and looked at menus for the places we want to eat and where we got PS's and already have chosen what we want (or most likely will want ) so that we can know how much we will be spending. She has all counter service menus as well as sit down. Great to know prices ahead of time!!! I am also hoping to be able to order kids meals for myself instead of an adult one. I do that here where I can beause it always seems to be enough.
The kids each have their souviner money so we wont be spending $ on that. We are taking a few hundred extra dollars for anything we might want, and with extra meal $ left over each day we should be fine. Hopefully we will bring a bit home also.
Only 3 more days to go!!

 

[AbercrombieNstitch]

I Have learned a great tip on mousesavers.com. I have been to WDW several times and I wish I would have known this earlier. You can ask for water at any counter service restaurant and they will give you tap water at no charge. By not paying the price for a soda or bottled water you can save quite a bit of money daily I have not tested this tip out yet but I will in May.
Shay


.......................31 days and counting!!!!!! Yeeeeha.